Vic’s picks are back to start the 2024 season. Here are two interesting Sunday games to watch.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Atlanta Falcons (-3) | 1:00 p.m. ET Sunday, Fox

It’s the Arthur Smith revenge match. But revenge for whom? Smith, against the team that saddled him with Desmond Ridder and then fired him? Or the Falcons, who had to deal with the moody coach who didn’t care if top draft picks Kyle Pitts and Bijan Robinson got the ball while his team blew leads?

Smith, the Steelers’ new offensive coordinator, will ride with Russell Wilson at quarterback until he tires of him, much like Sean Payton, and how long will depend on how well the Steelers defense can carry them. On paper, it looks like one of the better defenses in the league, and it should hold its own on Sunday against one of three teams with a new head coach and a new quarterback (who still has some kinks to iron out). The 42-under could be a better pick than the Steelers. The Falcons haven’t had a double-digit sack guy since Vic Beasley in 2016, and Judon could become a household name this season. He had a 17.8 percent pressure rate before getting injured last season with the Patriots.

The choice: Steelers

Houston Texans at Indianapolis Colts (+3) | 1:00 p.m. ET Sunday, CBS

Can CJ Stroud continue his dominance of the AFC South? In five starts as a rookie against division opponents, Stroud completed 120-of-171 pass attempts (70.2 percent) for 1,445 yards and nine touchdowns, no interceptions and one rushing touchdown. Stroud had the seventh-best EPA per dropback ratio at 0.11, and two of his receivers, Nico Collins and Tank Dell, finished in the top 10 in EPA per target and EPA per receptions ratio. They will need to be big factors again, as the Colts do a good job of stopping the run and making teams one-dimensional.

The Texans defeated the Colts in the final game of last season to clinch a playoff spot, then addressed some defensive needs by signing defensive end Danielle Hunter and linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair and drafting cornerback Kamari Lassiter. It looks like they should be able to contain Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson, who is still working off some rust. But the Colts offensive line is back to being one of the better ones in the league, and I think the Colts can get their act together and win at home. The Texans have gone from the hunter to the hunted, and the first one here is a little too big for them.

The choice: Colts

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